Fire-escape



(No Model.)

J. WHITE.

UNITED STATES ATENT @rricn.

JOHN WHITE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,992, dated March 5,1889.

Application filed May 16, 1888. Serial No. 274,113. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN YVHITE, of Hartford, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire -Escapes, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make anduse the same.

My invention relates to the class of apparatus that are adapted to bepermanently attached to a building for the purpose of facilitating theescape of the occupants in case of fire; and my object is to provide anapparatus that shall be compact in form and so arranged as to be out ofthe way when not required for use, but capable of being instantlyextended when there is any need of using it.

To this end my invention consists in a ladder-reel arranged on theinside of the wall of ahouse above the story to be protected by theescape, the wall being slotted for the extension of the ladder andprovided with a guide-roller, in combination with the clamp and leverattachment with a pull-rope, by means of which the ladder can beextended; and it further consists in details of the apparatus and thecombination of the parts, as more particularly hereinafter described,and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation of part ofthe front wall of a house, illustrating the application of myimprovement. Fig. '2 is a view in vertical section of the wall, showingthe location of the ladder-roll. Fig. 3 is a detail view of part of theladder, showing the method of attaching the rungs. Fig. l is adetailfrontview of the balcony-floor. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of afolding balcony or bracket, showing its socket in a slot below thewindow-sill and parts unfolded to steady the ladder.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes the front wall ofahousc; h, a window; c, the downwardlyslopin g slot out through the wallimmediately under the roof cl. In the line of the slot 0 and inside ofthe wall is mounted the ladder-reel e, on suitable bearings, in suchposition that the ladder f, the lower end of which lies on the guidewayg, will, when the pressure of the clamp h is removed, slide through theslot and extend itself downward in front of the window or tier ofwindows I). In order to wind the ladder up, a winch, 1 connected bygearing to the spindle of the ladder-reel, is used, or other suitablemeans may be provided.

The clamp h consists, preferably, of a flexible band, 71', embracing thedrum 7d, and connected to the lever 72 on opposite sides of its pivot h,the outer arm of the lever bearing a weight, 72. that clamps the reelfirmly in its normal position and has to be lifted, as by means of thepull-rope 72, in order to allow the ladder to run out. The ladder f ismade up, preferably, of the wire ropes f and me tallic rungs f that haveon their opposite ends the split clamping devices f that are tightenedupon the ropes by means of clampscrews.

The slot 0 is closed on the outside by a hinged plate, 0, that carries aguide-roller, c and is pushed outward by the weighted lower end of theladder as soon as the hold of the brake or clamp is removed from theladderreel. This guide-roll holds the ladder at a proper distance fromthe face of the wall while it is extended, and after it has been woundin the plate may be closed to cover the opening.

Under each of the windows, in a slot j, in the wall, is located asectional bracket, lo, that may be swung out horizontally after theladder is extended, and projecting through the ladder serves to steadyit as well as form a landing-platform. This bracket or folding balconyis preferably made in sections 75'' k each swingin on a vertical pivot,Z Z, about which is coilcd a spring, m, that tends to swing therespective sections outward as soon as the bolt 72 is withdrawn. Thisbolt 92 has a handle extending through the wall and located in aposition easy of access within the room. As soon as released, thesections swing outward in opposite directions, and passing between theside parts of the extended ladder press against them and serve to steadythe ladder, at the same time providing a standing-place outside of thewindow for persons passing from the room to the ladder. The bolt 12 maybe arranged to operate automatically as soon as the ladder is extended,or by the ladder in extending.

flexible ladder secured at its upper end to a wall, a folding bracketform ed in two sections, each swinging on a pivot and pressed ont- Wardby a spring, and the bolt whereby the folding parts of the bracket aretemporarily held within the bracket-socket, all substantially asdescribed.

JOHN WHITE. Witnesses:

GEORGE G. HADDOW, A. B. JENKINS.

